For someone who once said he was a bad investor and so kept his money in bank deposits, Mammootty, born Muhammed Kutty is donning a new role in Business, well through an investment by his family. The Malayalam film stars daughter Surumy, Son Dulquer Salman and son in law Dr Muhammed Rehan Sayeed, together with a Coimbatore partner have set up, Motherhood, a 35 bed birthing hospital in Bangalore. Investment Rs.17 Crore.

The birth of his two grandsons, one in the US an the other in India - showed Mammootty, 58, the quality of birthing care indians were missing. The first baby at Motherhood was born on January 10 "A Baby girl", the actor says,beaming. Kochi, Chennai and Coimbatore are next stops for the birthing chain in a 58 Crore expansion.

For all his millions - The film press says he charges 1 Crore a movie, Mammootty says he does not want to be an investor in the venture himself, Son-in-law Dr Sayeed, a cardiac surgeon with Fortis in Bangalore, as the chairman of Rhea Healthcare, the company that owns Motherhood, and Surumy, a graphic designer by training, its CEO.

Mammootty, with over 300 credits, chairs a TV channel in Kerala, but has no equity in it. The star recently started a film production house. Business, here comes Mammootty.

Mammootty is no run-of-the-mill superstar.One can’t ask him the usual questions. He can perhaps be called the first thinking superstar. Mammootty always looks for something out of the ordinary. He never ages either in his looks or in his thoughts.In the City for the opening of his family’s birthing centre, Mammootty took time off to chat with Metrolife on why he has a fascination for promoting and encouraging new directors and also about his projects in the pipeline.Mammootty has just finished dubbing for his first Kannada venture Shikari. Ask him how he felt dubbing in a totally alien language and he says, “I must admit it was tough. A lot of words in Kannada and Malayalam sound the same. But I feel I have done 95 per cent justice to the dubbing and I hope people will give me that much of a margin for my effort.” He adds, “But anyone who hears my voice will know the difference in pronunciation but I must say I enjoyed every minute of it.”Mammootty is presently shooting for The Doubles where he plays an overprotective brother of his sister played by Nadiya Moidu. “It’s a thriller. The story is of a brother who’s protective about his sister. The two lose their parents in an accident and are adopted by a man living in Pondicherry. The sister falls in love but the brother disapproves of the relationship and then the drama ensues,” he explains. But the twist in the tale comes only when Mammootty comes face to face with a woman in a purdah.“There’s a mystery about her and the brother is out to unravel that mystery,” he smiles. Talks are on for the Tamil film Shoot at sight but Mammootty says, “nothing has been finalised.”Mammootty is all set to produce his first Malayalam film Mathilukalkkappuram which will be launched in March. “The script is ready. Resul Pookutty will be doing the sound and Mamatha Mohandas will play the female lead,” he reveals. But why Mamatha? “She can mould into just about any role. She’s bold and above all she speaks the language fluently. I was looking for a heroine who can speak flawless Malayalam. I insist that the heroine must know the language because we will be capturing the original sound,” he says. About his own production, he says, “It will be an extension, not a sequel to Madilugal (a film that won Mammootty a national award).” Without exaggeration Mammootty has introduced more than 50 new directors. But he won’t pick anything that anyone lays before him. He’s choosy and very finicky about his roles, “Every new director works very hard on his first script. They must be encouraged. The least I can do is to introduce them and act in it,” he observes. And as always, there’s no dearth of films for this actor. He will be seen as an unscrupulous police officer in August 15, a sequel of Sibi Malayil’s 1988 movie August 1. In Best Actor, Mammootty plays the role of a school master who aspires to be an actor. Does the school master succeed? “That’s for you to go and watch the movie,” he wraps up.

Megastar Mammootty's action packed thriller 'August-15' will get released on February 4. The movie which was originally scheduled for the last Christmas could not reach the theatres due to little delay in its shooting.

A sequel to eighties hit 'August-1', the movie will be a suspenseful thriller in the scripts of S N Swamy. The Movie is directed by Shaji Kailas.

Megastar Mammootty's Family Venture 'Motherhood' is now Open at Bangalore

Rhea Healthcare, a closely held company promoted by the family members of film actor Mammootty, unveiled Motherhood, a boutique maternity facility in Bangalore. The company has invested close to Rs 17 crore in its Bangalore facility.A McKinsey study has pegged the Indian maternity-care market at $1.30 billion and projected it to grow to $2.40 billion by 2012. Further, it is estimated that over 40 per cent of the current market spend, about $560 million, is incurred by the upper middle class and above with an annual income of over Rs 5 lakh.Rhea Healthcare said it would set up similar facilities in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Kochi and has earmarked an investment of around Rs 58 crore. Besides the promoter’s family, a serial entrepreneur, has invested in the equity of Rhea Healthcare and the entire funding is done through equity and debt on a 1:1 basis.Mohammed Rehan Sayeed, director of Rhea Healthcare, said, “Pregnancy in the Indian context is associated with illness and Motherhood is keen to drive the message that birthing is a wellness aspect. This facility will offer state-of-the-art labour, delivery, recovery bed; Lamaze techniques that enhances natural childbirth, Aerobics center and neo-natal intensive care level 5 to handle any possible emergencies for the new born to name a few.”He said, Motherhood will also offer newborn screening, an essential preventive healthcare programme that tests babies for over 44 uncommon but serious disorders known as Inborn Errors of Metabolism.Surumy Sayeed, CEO of Rhea Healthcare, said, “At each stage, the mother to be would be provided with an international pattern of doctor support which ensures that only a doctor fully acquainted with her case gets to treat her on 24/7 basis.”Dulquer Salmaan, director of Rhea Healthcare, said, “The facility would also deliver paediatric services as a logical extension to birthing services. We have put in place an electronic health record system that would capture all vital health data of the child right from its birth paving the way for timely and superior paediatric care.”

Superstar Mammootty is going to start his first project under his production house Playhouse, which will be producingMathilukalkkappuram, a sequel to the 1990 movieMathilukal. Mammootty starred in the earlier movie and he will also be seen in the sequel.

Speaking about the latest venture, Mammootty said that they are going to launch the movie on March 1. He said that he had a great year in 2010 with many hit films and awards and is now looking forward to a grand start of his production house in 2011.

Mammootty is now shooting for his another movie The Doubles in Puducherry. The actor-producer informed that Nayantara will be the heroine and Oscar winner Resul Pookutty would handle the sound. He added that camera will be handled by Ravi K. Chandran.

The year 2011 is full with many projects for the superstar and he hopes everything goes well because success has brought many responsibilities on him and he will have to offer his best. Adoor Gopalakrishnan will be directing his latest Mathilukalkkappuram, which is starting on March 1.

With more than 300 films in his kitty till date, Mammootty is expecting that this film does well as it is his first production venture and also a sequel of an already hit movie.

After a very productive 2010 with four hit films and a best actor award, Malayalam superstar Mammootty will in March this year launch the first film under his production house -- a sequel to his 1990 acclaimed film 'Mathilukal'. The new year will also see his hospital project taking shape.

His production house Playhouse will formally enter the business of filmmaking with 'Mathilukalkkappuram', sequel to Adoor Gopalakrishnan's celebrated film that won him one of his three National Awards.

'The year gone by has been a great one and thanks to god for that. My first production will be launched on March 1 and it would be an extension of the film 'Mathilukal',' Mammootty told IANS over phone from Puducherry where he is shooting new movie 'The Doubles'.

'Besides me, it would have Nayantara in the lead role and Ravi K. Chandran would wield the camera while Resul Pookutty would handle the sound,' the actor-producer said.

Mammootty, who has acted in more than 300 films in the past three decades, said he has quite a few projects lined up for the coming year as well.

'Success brings more responsibility and looking into the projects lined up for the present year, it appears there are quite a number of films that are interesting and challenging. I wish and hope everything goes off well,' he said.

Apart from the film world, he is also upbeat about a boutique hospital in Bangalore of which he is the patron. But Mammootty prefers not talking about the business venture, which is to be inaugurated Jan 12.

'See, I am not even a director in the hospital project in Bangalore, which has been named 'Motherhood'. This is owned by my son, daughter-in-law and two other NRI investors. My role is that of a patron and we have planned this to be a chain of Motherhood boutique hospitals across the country in the near future,' said Mammootty, who is in his 50s.

Malayalam hit scriptwriting duo of Siby K Thomas and Udayakrishna are all set to direct their maiden film, Arakkallan Mukkaal Kallan. The story is based on three robbers, which will be played by Mammootty, Mohanlal and Dileep.

Siby and Udayan had started their careers as assistant directors and later went on to become the busiest scenarists in Malayalam films. They have scripted Twenty 20, with almost every actor in the Malayalam industry in its cast.

Last year, the duo had written the script for the hit films Pokkiri Raja and Karyasthan. The multi-starrer Christian Brothers, scripted by them and directed by Joshiy, will hit the cinemas soon.

Renowned director Adoor Gopalakrishnan revealed in an interview to a popular magazine that he would join hands with megastar Mammootty once again for his new film commencing in August.

In the interview, he also said that he always liked Mammootty as an actor. "This liking started ever since I saw him first in K.G. George's Mela. But this does not mean that I would cast him in all my films even if there is not a suitable role. However, my new film that would start next year would have Mammootty in it," he said.

Mammootty earlier worked with Adoor in Mathilukal, in which he essayed the role of Basheer.

The Sohan Seenulal directed 'Doubles' that stars Mammootty and Nadia Moithu as twins started its shoot at Pondicherry.'Doubles' is being shot at a bungalow at AriyanKuppam(Cuddaloor road) that is about five kilometers away from the city and A Resort at Pondy - Chennai ECR Road. Thapasi would be the heroine. Suraj, Salim Kumar, Saiju Kurup, Anoop Chandran, Abu Salim and Jaya Menon would lend support.P Sukumar is the cinematographer.'Doubles' would be produced by K K Narayandas under the banner of Reels on Wheels.

It is heard that Ranjith has plans to remake Padmarajan classic 'Arappatta Kettiya Gramathil', again with Mammootty in the lead.The original film was a huge hit with the cognoscenti, though it did not exactly set the boxoffice on fire. Mammootty had played the role of Zacharia in the original, in which the happenings of a single day formed the story. Recently, it was reported that the superstar had wanted to remake the film with himself in the lead.If the reports are true, then film lovers are in for a treat. Ranjith and Mammooty share an uncommon boding between them and if the film becomes a reality, it could be a work to savour for long.

Asianet - Ujala Film Awards 2011 has Announced. Mammootty starred 'Pranchiyettan and the Saint' bagged the award for Best Film. Mammootty and Nayantara bagged Best Actor and Actress Awards.

Mammootty was chosen the best actor for his performance in three films including `Pranchiyettan' while Nayanthara was selected the best actress for her role in 'Bodyguard.'

Mammootty got the best actor award for his roles in films likePranchiettan, The Saint, Kutty Shranku and Best Actor, all which released this year.Pranchiettan, directed by Renjith, bagged the best film award.Mohanlal, who has acted in nearly 300 films, was named for the Asianet Golden Star Award for his overall contribution to cinema. The special award had gone to Mammootty, who is in his 50s, last year.Asianet vice-president M.R. Rajan, who announced the awards here Saturday, said there were 28 awards in various categories."The awards will be distributed at Kochi on January 9 and for the first time we have decided to give an award for Tamil films as well. Vijay, for his various films, has got the popular hero award in Tamil films," said Rajan.Popular south Indian actress Nayantara won the best actress award for her role inBodyguard.The best director award went to popular producer-actor-director Lal for the film "In Ghost House Inn".The award for the most popular actor and actress went to Dileep and Mamta Mohandas, respectively, for their roles in several films released during 2010.Jayasurya was selected as the Youth Icon of the Year.Asianet is the first Malayalam TV channel that went on air in the early 1990s.

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